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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24117124">it's nice to have a friend</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/theglitterati/pseuds/theglitterati'>theglitterati</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(i guess), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:01:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24117124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/theglitterati/pseuds/theglitterati</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A girl asks Tendou out just to get closer to Ushijima. Ushijima defends his friend.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tendou Satori &amp; Ushijima Wakatoshi, Tendou Satori/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>153</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>it's nice to have a friend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>P.S. they're roommates in this (oh my god they were roommates)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Hi, Tendou-kun!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmf? Oh, hi!” Tendou quickly swallowed his food. Tamura Hana, the prettiest girl in his class, had just sat down in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you eating alone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was late leaving class, and the rest of the team inhaled their food and went to practice already.” And left him sitting here, looking like a loser for eating alone. Great.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Hana giggled. “I thought for sure you’d be with Ushijima-san! You guys are best friends, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess?” Technically, they probably were, but Tendou didn’t think of Ushijima as the type to have friends. More like… associates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you are! You two are always together…” Hana trailed off. “Anyway, I wanted to ask you… the bonfire after the festival tomorrow night. Would you like to go with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou’s eyes bugged. “Like, as a date?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would love to!” Tendou couldn’t tell her fast enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great! We can meet there at eight, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you then.” She disappeared with a wave.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wow!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tendou definitely needed to eat alone more often, if girls were going to come confess to him. Wait — was that a confession? Maybe not, but it felt like one. Honestly, he was a little shocked Hana had even talked to him, let alone asked him out. They hadn’t spoken much before, and she was really cool. He finished his lunch with a smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess what?” he said to Ushijima when he got to practice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima frowned. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, fine, I’ll tell you anyway. I have a date tomorrow!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima’s face didn’t appear to change, though one eyebrow might have raised a little. “Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From Ushijima, that was practically a blessing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cultural festival was fun, but tiring. The volleyball team played an exhibition game for the whole school, and then the team made the rounds, trying all the food and looking at everyone’s displays. When they got back to their room, Ushijima immediately collapsed on his bed. Tendou would have liked to do the same, but there was no time. The bonfire started in half an hour, and he needed to shower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once clean, he dressed in his nicest blazer, checking himself out in the mirror. “How do I look, Wakatoshi-kun?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima glanced up at him. “You’re dressed more formally than usual.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, duh! Thanks for stating the obvious. You’re supposed to say I look handsome and dashing and princely!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou sighed deeply. “Because it’s a nice thing to say, Wakatoshi-kun. Because it will make me feel better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you feel ill?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, dummy, I’m nervous!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you nervous?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou just rolled his eyes at him instead of answering. He wouldn’t get it, anyway. Ushijima never got nervous, never needed reassurance. Girls confessed to him practically every day, and he turned them all down. But this was the first time any girl had shown any interest in Tendou. Of course he was nervous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time to go,” he told Ushijima. “Are you coming?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I’m going to stay here and read.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, grandpa! See you later!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside, the entire student body of Shiratorizawa was gathered around a big pile of sticks, which were not yet on fire. Tendou spotted Hana nearby, standing with a friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, Satori-buddy,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he said to himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Time to shine.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hana-san! Hi!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled when she saw him. “Hi, Tendou-kun!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look very lovely tonight,” he told her. See, Ushijima? That’s how to be nice. It was true, too — she wore a pretty pink skirt and had somehow woven a flower into her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, thanks! You know my friend Misaki-chan, right?” She pointed to the girl next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, actually, I haven’t had the pleasure. Tendou Satori.” He held out his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl shook it gingerly. “Saito Misaki.” She was pretty, too, but her mouth looked a bit like she was always eating a sour candy. “You’re Wakatoshi-kun’s friend, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why did people keep asking him that today? “Yeah, I’m his roommate, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So where is he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In our room, reading,” Tendou said. “He doesn’t really like… activities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Misaki said. She didn’t say anything else, nor did she make any indication that she was going to leave the two of them alone. Was she going to stay all night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, whatever. Tendou wouldn’t let a stray girl ruin his date. She might even turn out to be friendly. “I think they’re about to light the bonfire,” he said to Hana. “Want to go watch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, okay!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three of them walked over to the fire, which was just being lit. Tendou saw Goshiki in the crowd with some other first years; his eyes went wide when he saw Tendou with two girls. Tendou winked at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bonfire burned brightly; it made the cool March night warm. Tendou stood to Hana’s right, Misaki to her left. The two girls talked amongst each other, but Tendou couldn’t think of anything to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought of something to do, though. “Would you like something to drink?” he asked them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have a soda, I guess,” Hana said. Misaki didn’t answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get three,” Tendou suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to think of something to talk about while he waited in line for the drinks. With his friends, he mostly talked about volleyball, but Hana probably wouldn’t find that very interesting. Maybe she was in a club, too? He couldn’t remember. But he could ask her! There, that was something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crowd had thickened by the time he headed back with their sodas, and he got stuck in the throng a few feet behind Hana and Misaki. The two of them were deep in conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, okay? I thought he would bring him. What do you want me to do about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Maybe you can ask him to go get Ushiwaka or something? Then I can confess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou frowned. Were they talking about him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How am I supposed to ask him that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, flirt with him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, no,” Hana said. Tendou’s hands tightened around the soda bottles. “It was bad enough you made me ask him here. I’m not flirting with him; he’s gross. You do it, if you care that much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night suddenly felt very cold again. Tendou didn’t wait to hear any more; he set the drinks down on the nearest table and wandered away, back toward his dorm. He waited until he was far from the crowd to rub his eyes. His fingers came away wet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let himself into the stairwell and took a deep breath. Same old, same old, right? He’d get over it, just like always. He wiped his eyes one more time before going to his room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima was right where Tendou left him: on his bed, reading manga. “Hello,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” Tendou took his blazer off and threw it on a chair, then slumped down at his desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He expected Ushijima to go back to reading, but he kept looking at him. “You were only gone for thirty minutes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou checked the clock. 8:33. “Good counting, buddy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dates usually last longer than half an hour, do they not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou snorted. “Good ones do!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima tilted his head. “Does that mean this one was bad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why had Ushijima picked this moment to suddenly become interested in Tendou’s life? “Just forget it, dude. It’s fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima scrutinized him. “You look unhappy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am unhappy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because the date was bad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou huffed. “Yes, because the date was bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why was it bad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was that the only word Ushijima knew? “Because it’s embarrassing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should not be embarrassed to tell me things,” Ushijima said. “I’m your friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou’s mouth dropped open. That was, hands down, the nicest thing he’d ever heard Ushijima say to anyone. So nice he might just cry again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goddamnit, now he had to tell him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tendou said. “She — Hana — uhhhh, I guess she only asked me because her friend wanted to confess to you and was too scared to ask. They thought if they invited me, you would come, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She said that to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I overheard them talking. Hana said some, uh, not-so-nice things about me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima frowned deeply. He looked like he was trying to do math, or maybe like he was constipated. “So she tricked you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, basically.” Ushijima didn’t say anything else, just continued to stare across the room, so Tendou started to climb to the top bunk. Then a hand grabbed his leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Put your jacket back on,” Ushijima said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because we are going outside, and it is cold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, what? Wakatoshi-kun—?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he was already gone. Tendou, against his better judgement, grabbed his jacket and ran after him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look,” Tendou said, trying to keep up with Ushijima and his gigantic legs as they crossed the quad, “I don’t actually want to bring you to meet them. It’s not like I really want to continue this date now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not why we’re going,” Ushijima said, not breaking his stride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, guys!” Goshiki popped up, happy to see his senpai. “Where are you—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shh,” Ushijima said to him. “We’re busy.” To Tendou, he said, “Where are they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou scanned the crowd. “Uh, right over there.” He pointed. “But maybe you shouldn’t—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Too late. Ushijima was already halfway there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hana and Misaki both jumped when they saw him. Misaki was suddenly all smiles, twirling her hair and fluttering her eyelashes. “Wakatoshi-kun, you’re here!” she said. “Did you—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima held out a hand to silence her. To Hana, he said, “Did you invite my friend on a date under false pretenses?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite his mood, Tendou actually laughed. Ushijima spoke like a talking book sometimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hana looked mortified. “Well, I, um—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was extremely rude of you,” Ushijima interrupted her. “You owe him an apology.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, uh—” Hana looked from Ushijima to Tendou. “Sorry! I’m sorry!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou just shrugged. He didn’t know what to say. This was… a new experience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To Misaki, Ushijima said, “You wished to confess to me tonight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Oh, yes, I—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My answer is no,” Ushijima said coldly. “I would never be involved with someone who treated my friends badly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sorry—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Too late again. Ushijima had already left. Tendou threw one last look at the girls and ran after him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um! That was crazy!” Tendou yelled when he caught up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm,” Ushijima confirmed. “Do you want to watch the bonfire? You were excited about it. It is very large.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, man, it’s fine.” It wasn’t the bonfire that Tendou had been excited about, anyway, and he certainly didn’t want to watch it now. “Let’s just go back upstairs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked the rest of the way to the dorms in silence. Tendou finally lost the battle against curiosity when they got to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you do that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it was the right thing to do,” Ushijima said, “and because it made you feel better. Right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou was shocked to see that Ushijima actually looked like he wanted an answer. “Yeah, it totally did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” It might have been a hallucination, but Tendou could have sworn a small smile passed over Ushijima’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Tendou said when they reached their door. “Do you want me to read your manga to you? I’ll do the voices like you like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ushijima nodded, unlocking the door. “That would be pleasant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tendou snorted, and then followed him in. “Whatever you say, friend.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Find me at kyrstin.tumblr.com.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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